Local look at pro golf

Wednesday

May 22, 2013 at 12:01 AMMay 23, 2013 at 12:17 AM

A quick look at golfers with South Carolina ties heading into this week's PGA and Web.com tournaments.

By Eric Boyntoneric.boynton@shj.com

PGA TOURCrowne Plaza Invitational at ColonialWhen: Thursday-SundayWhere: Colonial CC (Fort Worth, Texas)Purse: $6.4 million ($1.152 million winner's share)2012 champion: Zach JohnsonTV: 3-6 p.m., Thursday-Friday, 1-2:30 p.m., Saturday-Sunday on Golf Channel; 3-6 p.m., Saturday-Sunday on CBSLocals in the field: It's been feast or famine for Simpsonville resident Justin Bolli in his full-time return to the PGA Tour. The 37-year-old University of Georgia product equaled his career-best PGA finish with last week's tie for fourth at the Byron Nelson when he carded a final-round 65 to earn a career-best $321,600 and move into 81st on the money list. Bolli also tied fourth at the March 10 Puerto Rico Open before missing four cuts along with ties for 80th and 35th (on Hilton Head) heading into last week. … Boiling Springs resident/Wofford product William McGirt recorded his lone top-10 this season with a tie for eighth at the Arnold Palmer Invitational in late March before missing the following week's cut. He's made the weekend in all four outings since, but has finished better than tied for 43rd just once with a tie for 37th in Texas. Final-round scoring has done him in as he's posted 73-80-73-75 in his past four starts. His best finish in two trips to the Crowne Plaza was a tie for 31st two years ago when he carded his first three rounds in the 60s before ending with a 72. … Dorman/Clemson product D.J. Trahan has a roller-coaster history at Colonial having missed the cut in three of his past four tries with a tie for 16th two years ago that included a third-round 65. He tied for seventh in 2007 with a trio of 67s and tied for 38th in 2005 when he opened with a 64 before closing with 75. … Clemson's Kyle Stanley has finally settled into a steady home life after a couple of moves over a few months (from S.C. to Phoenix and finally to Seattle) and it seems to have helped him break free from a major slump. The 25-year-old has earned nearly $720,000 his past three starts with a solo third in New Orleans, tie for sixth in Charlotte and a tie for 33rd at The Players. He's returning after two weeks off. … Clemson's Jonathan Byrd had a successful debut at Colonial in 2002 when he tied for eighth, but over his next six career starts there heading into last season he'd missed five cuts and tied for 51st. He regained his touch last year with a tie for 10th and could use some of that same mojo has he's currently struggled in his return from major wrist surgery with four missed cuts and ties for 66th and 80th this season. … Duncan resident Matt Bettencourt is an alternate for this event.WEB.COM TOURMexico ChampionshipWhen: Thursday-SundayWhere: El Bosque GC (Leon, GTO)Purse: $700,000 ($112,500 winner's share)2012 champion: Lee WilliamsLocals in the field: USC's Mark Anderson earned his first professional victory at last week's BMW Charity Pro-Am at Thornblade Club to move to ninth on the money list. This is his second appearance in Mexico after a tie for 24th in 2010. … Furman product/Greenville resident Matt Davidson fell to a disappointing tie for 65th last week in Greenville after flirting with the top 10 through two rounds. His best finish this season came out of the U.S. with a tie for 33rd in Chile that included a closing 66. … Clemson veteran Kevin Johnson's six career Web.com wins ranks second behind Jason Gore's seven. The 46-year-old last won with a pair of playoff victories in 2009 and his first came 16 years ago. … Greenwood/Clemson product Ben Martin has tied for 11th twice, tied eighth and then tied 29th last week (when he was fourth entering the weekend) over his past four starts and is 25th on the money list. He tied for 21st last year in Mexico despite a third-round 76. … Since tying for 12th in Chile, Clemson's Sam Saunders has missed four cuts (including last week in Greenville when he opened with 78) and tied for 53rd. … Clemson's Danny Ellis has missed six of seven cuts this year with a tie for 45th in Louisiana. … Clemson's Brian Duncan's third-round 68 at Thornblade last week broke a stretch of nine consecutive rounds of 70 and above. … USC's Kyle Thompson and Clemson's Phillip Mollica are alternates.